Electric signaling apparatus.



PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

s. EVERSHED. ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

urmiunol ma n 1910.23. 1905.

ATTIS.

U ITED sTATEs rA'rENT OFFICE.

' telegraphs and communications, railway SYDNEY nvnnsnnn, OFLIONDON, ENGLAND,

ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND EVERSEiED AND VIGNOLES LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, A CORTORATION,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known'that ,I, SYDNEY EvERsHEn, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing'at' London, England,have in'-" vented new and; useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Apparatus, of which theited number of prearra ed signals,

orders, or signs, and 1S applica le to ships tram-describing telegraphs, miningl telegra hs, engine room telegraphs and e 6hr invention is based upon the ratio rinciple described in specification of British atent No, 8784 of 1891 whereby theindica- I tion of the receiving apparatus is made to depend solely upon the ratio in which the transmitting apparatus divides the current flowing in two or more parallel circuits, a.nd the objects ofour present invention are to facili tat-e and extend the application of this prin ciple by increasing the workin forces and the a ular range of the ratio in icator, and by re uci'ng the consumption of electric energy in the ap aratus and to reduce the stray magnetic elds of the indicator so-that the apparatus may be used 'on board ship in ose proximity to the ships compass without producing any appreciable compass error.

In carrying out. our invention we prefer to employ the simplest form of ratio indicator, namelythat in which the two ratio coils are fixed in such relative positions as to have their magnetic axes in the same plane and at an an le, preferably a right angle, with each ot er. We use a freely pivoted soft iron or steel needle to indicate the ratio of the currents in the two coils by taking up a osition of equilibrium the direction of t eir resultant field. This form of indicator although extremely simple and I not liable to get out of order, has not been extensively used owing to the excessive consumption of energy necessary to secure ade-. quate working forces and angular range of movement of the needle.

According to our present invention the maximum ossible working forces may be obtained y the combination of suitable ratio coils with a magnetic needle so proportioned as to have the maximum ma netic moment when subjected to the particular Specification of Letters Patent. Application an December 23.1905. smart. 293.121.

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Patented. Jan. 21, 1908.

-magnetizing force of the coils, and of the minimum moment of inertia about its axis of rotation. -By making our needle" either an ellipsoid of revolution, or a fiat elli 'soid ofjequivalent proportions, we are ab e "to predetermineits magnetic moment and so calculate the best possible pro ortion between the dimension of the nee e and the strength of the resultant magnetic field of the ratid coilsr The ratio of magnetic moment to inertia moment being a maximum arr-ellipsoid needle, our improved'needlo and coils provide large working forces for a very moderate consumption-of energy in the ratio coils and secure this result with a needle of'minimum inertia and therefore maximum rapidity of movement.

To obtain the most favorable proportion as regardseconomy of material and consum tion of energy in the ratio ,coils it is essential that they should closely surround the needle. This condition is generally secured by winding the coils on bobbins which-are adapted to fit one inside the other, ha a hole or slot through which the axle of t e needle passes; the number of turns of wire wound on the inner coil must be less than those on the outer coil, solthat'whenequal currents traverse them, their magnetic fields are approximately equal. The'needle will then take up a'middle position with its magnetic axis bisecting the angle subtended by the magnetic axes of the coils. Changes in theratio of the two currents will then cause,

the needle to be deflected one way or the other according to whether the value of the ratio is increased or diminished; but equal changes of the ratio will not giveequal deflections on both sides of the middle angle, because the configurations of themagnetic fields of the two coils differ very considerably in consequence of their necessarily different dimensions.

A symmetrical scale on both sides ofthe middle point may be obtained by the use of a 100 transmitter adapted to change the current ratio by the required unequal increments but We prefer to use symmetrical transmitting apparatus and to secure a symmetrical scale in our indicator by duplicating the needle 5 and ratio coils and electrically connectins the latter so that an'inside and outside coi are in series in each ratio circuit. In this way the want of symmetry of one pair of but op osite want of symmetry of the other" pair ariii hence the scale of our duplex indicator is symmetrical about the central oint.

The two pairs of ratio coils'in our uplex indicator may either be fixed in such relative positionsas will enable the two needles to be attached to a common axle, or we may attach the needles to separate axles which can belmechanically connected by connecting fields, and also those of the two bination it is not possible to entirely eliminate stray fields by means of duplex coils. We therefore provide a compensating magnet formed by winding a coi round an iron core of suitable dimensions, andso'fixed with regard to the duplex indicator coils as to neuthe ratio in of the currents constant, it is tralize their effective magnetic moment throughout the space external tov the ratid coils. We connect the exciting coil or coils of ourcompensating magnet in series withthe indicator circuit "so that accuracy of compensation may not be disturbed by variations-in the current strength.

We may use any known meansfor vary' which the total current is divid s 1n the two ratio circuits but in order 'toprovide the very large range, of different "ratio values necessary to give our indicator needles a total angular range of 90 degrees, we prefer to use'a form of transmitter described in British S ecification No. 12279 of18 99- and composed of two independent series of re-. sistance coils, one ineach ratio circuit, connected to two multiple point switches. The switches are mechanically connected and when the double switch is moved over the double series of contacts the resistance coils of one of the series are-successively cut out of one ratio circuit, while the resistance coils 'of the other series aresuccessively added to "the other ratio circuit. 7 sistances beinglquite independent, it is possi- The two series of reble to cha e t e current ratio to any desired extent whiil e keeping the sum of the ratio currents, that is to say the total current, 0011- stant. Or a ain, if it is desiredto keep the resultant fieId of the ratio coils, constant throughout the whole range of'ratio values, the resistances in the transmitter may be calculated to fulfil this condition. But since the first condition requires the sum of the ratio currents to be constant while the second necessitates keeping the sum of the squares obviously impossible to fulfil both conditions at once.

Suitable means are provided in our indicator for showing the required signals, orders or numbers either by an index ranging over a .dicator' with superp metry of the'fiel netic needles 0, and, G which are fixed dial or other known methods of indication.- And in order that our invention may be the better understood, we now proceed to describe. the same, reference being had to the drawings hereto sinnexedfand to and figures marked thereon.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of our m 6 osed sduplicated ratio coils and two ellipsoid needles upon one axle.

2 is an elevation andpartsection indicator with duplicated ratio coils fixed side "by side, connected to a transmitter adapted to provide the maximum possible variation in the ratio ofthe two currents, and fitted with a compensating magnet to eliminate the effect of the external fields of the ratio coils. F 3 is a sectional elevation of one of the elements of Fig. 2. I \1 In the drawings like letters refer, to like parts. i

8 In Fig. 1, the outer and Inner ratio coils A,

of oneelement are connectedrespectively to the inner-and outer ratio coils (1 B of the other elements so that the current flowing in the letters 16 of our one ratio Wire G traverses the'coils B andb in series, andthe current in the wire H trav-' erses the coils a and A in series. J In this way thewant of symmetry in the configuration of the magnetic fields of the outer and inner coils iof one element the correspon but opposite want of syms of the other element and the indicator has a scale which is symmetrical on each side of the-middle point.

The ratio coils closely surround "two upon an axleD carrying a pointer E or other able indicating device. The needles are either ellipsoids of revolution .or fiat ellipsoids of equivalent proportions, and we ferto make them of iron having thehig est attainable permeability. By means of the previously determined relation between magnetic force and magnetic induction for the particular sample of iron used in makin the needles, we are able to apply. the known aws of magnetic ellipsoids and obtain the best proportion between the major and minor axes of theneedles. In all cases we make the needles as long as is consistent with free 115 rotation inside the coils. When the inertiav of the axle and parts attached thereto is large compared with the inertia'of the needles, we use-needles of the largest diameter adapted to "rotate freely within the ratio coils. magnetic moment of the needles will then be a maximum for aparticular value of the magnetic fields of the coils. On the other hand if the inertia of the needles exceeds that of the remainder of the duce the minor axis of the needles until the ratio of their magnetic moment to the inertia of the .whole system is a maximum.

To obtain adequate working forces for a moderate waste of energy in theratio coils, 0

suitm loo .The 1 moving-system we re- 2:,

space occupied by insulating material may be a minimum. We prefer to use highly conductive copper sheet for our bobbins so that they may iave an appreciable damping action upon the oscillations of the needles.

To prevent stray magnetic fields of the coils and needles from affecting neighboring instruments, and particularly to avoid compass errors on board ship, we connect the two elements of our indicator so that the two needles C and C have the two opposite poles of the same polarity. Hence the needles form an astatlc system which has no magnetic effect at any distance com arable with about ten times the distance etween the two needles. The ratio coils however, althou h they also are necessarily of opposite polarity, do not form an astatic system owing to the largely different areas of the outer and inner coils. In practice we find the outer coils have an appreciable external field even at considerable distances and when our indicator is to be used near a compass we compensate for this stray field by means hereinafter described.

The superposing of the two elements of our indicator involves the use of along axle and the arrangement occupies a considerable depth in the axial direction. When the space available precludes the use of an indicator with superposed elements ,we place them side by side and connect the two needle axles by toothed gearing or other equivalent means.

In Fig. 2 we show an indicator in which the two elements are mechanically connected with the indicating axle D by means of cranks I I I and connecting rods J and J the indicating device consists ofa pointer E ranging over a scale K. This arrangement is well adapted for our purpose since it provides a very simple means of connection and at the same time the cranks and connecting rods serve to balance the weight of the pointer. In Fig. 2 the axles are supposed to be horizontal and the pointer vertical. In this position the stray or external magnetic fields of the two outer coils A and 'B have quite appreciable horizontal components which may cause errors on a neighboring compass. To avoid this we neutralize these components of external fields by means of an electro-magnet having a core M with large polar surfaces N and O. The magnet is excited by means of a coil L placed in the common-return wire F which carries the sum of the ratio currents and said magnet is-situated above the indicator coils with its poles at an equal distance from either of the latter. We

generally prefer to work our indicators by means of a constant total current and in that case the sum of the separate stray fields of the coils A and B remains constant throughout the whole range of values which may be given to the ratio of the currents in II and G; hence a magnet excited by the sum of the currents will, when properly adjusted, neutralize the horizontal stray fields and the compensation will not be affected by variations in current strength provided the core M is not near the saturation limit. We describe our compensating magnet in its application to our du licated ratio coils, but it may also be usefully applied toany ratio coil indicator when it is desired to avoid compass errors.

In Fig. 2 we show our duplicated indicator connected to a transmitter of the type in which the greatest possible variation 1n current ratios can be obtained and either the sum of the currents or'the sum of the squares of the currents are kept constant. P and Q are the two independent subdivided resistances connected to the switch contacts R and S. 'A double ended switch arm -T ranges over the two series of contacts and changes the current ratio from an infinite EOSIUVG value to an infinite negative value y any re uired number of steps. When the switch andle is moved in the direction of the arrow the current in wire G is increased, While that in wire H is diminished. Hence the fields of the coils B and b are increased, While the fields of the coils A anda are diminished. The efiect of this change in relative field-strengths is to deflect the pointer E in the direction of the arrow. In the limit the switch arm T reaches the position indicated by dotted lines breaking the circuit H and causing the whole current to flow in wireG. The coils A a will now have no field and hence the needles will lie along the magnetic axes of the coils B b. The

pointer will therefore have moved over an two needles being made as ellipsoids of revolution, and the said coils being brought as close as possible to the said needles.

2. In combination, a resistance transmitter,- two' combined current ratio indicators with two coils of the indicator connected in series to one transmitter circuit,

the other passing round the other two coils of the indicators, the two needles being made as ellipsoids of revolution and a magnet the coil of which is in the common return wire of the two indicator circuits the said magnet being situated above the said indicators, and under the pointer, having a pole at either end the distance from each pole to the nearest indicator coil being the same.

3. In combination, a transmitter, a current ratlo lndlcator, two double coils each double coil having its separate or component 'coils at an an le of 90 to one another, two

ellipsoid need es one of which is snugly in closed in each of the said double coils, an arm fixed to each .of the said needles, a crank fixed at the end of each arm, connecting links pivoted on the said cranks, and connccte( to the rear end of a pivotedindicating pointer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SYDNEY EVERSHED.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. FELL, CHARLES CARTER. 

